Finding a therapist can be a lot of work.
It’s tiring to put yourself out there and try to make a connection, especially when sharing vulnerable and weighty parts of yourself. Research shows that the therapeutic relationship you have with your therapist is one of the key factors that lead to growth and change in therapy. Take the time to make sure things feel right to you. Even if it’s not me, I’ll do my best to help connect you with other therapists who can meet your needs!
YOUR THERAPIST MOM FRIEND
Meet Katie
I became a parent during COVID in 2020 after years of fertility struggles and fading hope. In my first year of parenthood, I lost my mom to suicide and felt my already delicate footing sliding out from under me as grief clouded my world. I lived out the tension between my greatest joy coming true in my son and my greatest grief in losing my mom in tandem. As a therapist and specialist in attachment, I knew how important it would be for me to prioritize my mental health while also caring for my son. This personal journey and transformation in my life led me to a passion for supporting parents at every stage. Parenthood has a way of breaking us open, for good but not without pain, and I find it to be the greatest honor to offer support as parents find themselves in this new identity. We have to deal with our pasts while simultaneously holding the future in our hands - what incredible (and tiring) work! I’d love a chance to unpack the burden of the past with gentleness and care, and to alleviate some of the load as you make room to discover your strength and wisdom as a parent. There is so much healing potential in parenting if we allow ourselves to access it.
Get curious about your past and feel hopeful about your future.
Therapy Philosophy
I believe we all have the capacity for healing and growth, and that our behaviors are often there because they have served a protective purpose in our lives, even if they seem less than desirable to us now. The work of therapy is to untangle the internal world by giving you a space to process what you are dealing with, explore why certain behaviors or thinking are present based on your past, compassionately make room for that part of you to be seen and understood, and then allowing for your current self to see how you want to approach those feelings with newfound confidence and tenderness. I utilize Internal Family Systems, Attachment theory, Trauma-Informed therapy, and Emotionally Focused Therapy to address the needs of both individuals and couples.
I would love to see if I’m the right fit for you or you and your partner as a therapist. Reach out for a free discovery call to learn more.
Parenting Philosophy
We live in an era of catch-phrase parenting where the stakes feel high, and the clarity seems low. As a former kindergarten teacher and school administrator, and a current attachment-focused therapist, let me reassure you: you don’t have to sum up your parenting with a bumper-sticker phrase. When I work with parents, I take the time to learn the dynamics and needs of your family and begin from a lens of compassion - every parent I know is doing the best they can with the resources they have. I am going to offer a developmental perspective to shed light on your child’s behavior, help you understand the “need behind the deed,” and add tools to your toolbox and your child’s to lessen the severity of reactions and responses for the whole family. Oftentimes, small shifts in thinking and engagement can make a huge difference in the dynamics between parents and children.
My greatest hope is that you leave our conversations feeling seen, understood, and supported with tangible ways to address the issues you are facing. Reach out for a family support call, or explore my Toddler Cohort schedule at The Den, where I lead 4-week groups for toddler parents to explore topics such as limit-setting and encouraging independence for kids aged 12 months to 3 years. The best place to start is with a free discovery call where I can point you in the right direction based on your needs.